Raw Mango’s new line of saris reimagines the Benarasi weave

Sanjay Garg brings together design history and identity of new India

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Image: Shovan Gandhi

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Image: Shovan Gandhi

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Image: Shovan Gandhi

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Image: Shovan Gandhi

Designer Sanjay Garg’s understanding of textiles is evident not just through his visual perspective, but also his technical prowess. “When we speak of Benarasi saris, the design motifs that come to mind are influenced by the Mughal vocabulary. So we worked with the weavers in Varanasi with references of Temple architecture of South India pre-18th Century,” said Garg of his new collection of saris for Raw Mango.

Titled ‘Three Shuttles’, the name of the collection comes from the kadhwa technique of loom embroidery indigenous to Benaras. Rich hues and motifs inspired by scriptures engraved on stone walls form the basis of the line. “People are getting the hang of handwoven textiles, but just because something comes from manual labour doesn’t necessitate good design. You have to truly understand fabrics and make conscious choices.”

The campaign, shot in Bengaluru, features couples from diverse cosmopolitan backgrounds. “With the campaign I wanted to bring attention to how men and women dress differently for occassions. Men will, at the most, wear a kurta or a Nehru jacket but the drape in menswear has almost disappeared. Women still drape a sari more often. There’s nothing right or wrong with that, but it’s the influence of colonisation and I wanted to emphasize it.”